Saab is now fitting the first of two Global 6000 airframes with its GlobalEye mission equipment for the Swedish Air Force. (Saab)  Saab has inducted the first of two Global 6000 airframes for conversion to the GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) configuration for the Swedish Air Force (SwAF).  The prime contractor for the programme announced the milestone on 26 January, about six months after it officially received the aircraft from Bombardier in Canada in July 2023. With the earlier handover seeing the aircraft receive its i...

General Dynamics submitted one ARV prototype to the USMC for testing in 2023. (General Dynamics Land Systems )    The US Marine Corps (USMC) is planning to select one to two companies for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the advanced reconnaissance vehicle (ARV) programme, a USMC official in charge of ground combat told   Janes  .     Testing for the ARV ended in November 2023 following trials on a platform command, control, communications, and computers/unmanned aircraft system (C4/UAS) pro...

Greece is set to join the growing group of European and international allies operating the F-35, with the US State Department approving the sale of up to 40 aircraft. (Royal Norwegian Air Force)  The United States has approved combat aircraft sales to Greece and Turkey worth a combined USD31.6 billion.  In two separate notifications posted at the same time on 26 January, the US State Department approved the sale of new Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft to Greece, and new and modernised Lockheed Martin F-16...

An Ajax armoured vehicle displayed at Defence iQ's IAV 2024 conference held in London from 22 to 25 January. (Janes/Nicholas Fiorenza)  The British Army only has confirmed funding for 18% of its GBP44 billion (USD55.9 billion) Equipment Plan 2023–33, British Army's Chief of the General Staff General Patrick Sanders told Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicle (IAV) 2024 conference held in London from 22 to 25 January.  He also spoke of the need for the British Army to have a strength of 120,000 personnel, comprising regular soldiers, rese...

Sea Ghost maritime attack USV can be configured to carry different warheads without much change to the base design. (Janes)  The United Arab Emirates' (UAE's) Innovation Composites Aerospace Group showcased the Sea Ghost maritime attack unmanned surface vessel (USV) at the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2024 show held in Abu Dhabi from 23 to 25 January.    Speaking to   Janes   on 24 January, Christoph Jung, project manager at Innovation Composites Aerospace Group, said the Sea Ghost is an advanced USV with...

Production of the MUAV will allow South Korea to significantly enhance its unmanned intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations. (Janes/DAPA/South Korea MND/Photo by Amit Kalra)  South Korea has started production of its domestically developed Medium-Altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (MUAV).  The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said on 25 January that the induction of the MUAV will enhance the Republic of Korea (RoK) military's critical reconnaissance capabilities. The MUAV “will improve the surveillance and rec...

The UK Royal Navy is looking to upgrade the search radars of its 30 Merlin HM2 helicopters as it seeks to extend the type's service life out to 2040. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  The UK Royal Navy (RN) is to upgrade the radar of its Lockheed Martin AW101 Merlin HM2 maritime helicopters to see them out to their planned 2040 retirement date.  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) released a supply chain notice on 25 January, in which it said it is looking for “expressions of interest” from organisations wishing to be considered for qualification for the c...

The Gidrán is a version of Nurol Makina's Ejder Yalçın modified for the Hungarian Defence Forces. (HDF)    Hungary has a framework agreement for Nurol Makina vehicles,   Janes  learnt at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2024 conference being held in London from 22 to 25 January.   The agreement was signed in October 2023 for up to 600 Nurol Makina 4×4 vehicles, including the Gidrán version of the Ejder Yalçın modified for the Hungarian Defence Forces (HDF) and different versions and sizes of the Turkish c...

Kintsugi plans to bring out a road-legal concept of the Magnus hybrid propulsion vehicle by 2025. (Janes/Amit Kalra)  United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based artificial intelligence (AI) electric solution provider Kintsugi unveiled its Magnus tactical ground vehicle concept on the opening day of the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2024 show held in Abu Dhabi from 23 to 25 January.  The Magnus concept is being developed by Kintsugi subsidiary Eneron. Kintsugi corporate communications manager Waleed Alblooshi told Janes, “Leveraging...

A testbed radar – installed atop a 40 ft tower acting as a proxy ship mast – has been employed by NSWCDD since mid-2020 as an FXR test asset and risk reduction system. (US Navy)  A request for information (RFI) released by US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) on 16 January has called for industry input to inform future decisions on development and initial production of the Future X-band Radar (FXR) being planned for large surface combatants, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, and amphibious ships.  Complementary to the Raytheon AN/SPY-6(V) f...

Edge Group's HT-100 was revealed at Dubai Airshow 2023. (Edge Group)  The United Arab Emirates' (UAE's) Edge Group signed a contract to supply 200 HT-100 and HT-750 unmanned helicopters to the country's Ministry of Defence (MoD) during the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2024 show held in Abu Dhabi from 23 to 25 January.  In a statement issued on 25 January, Edge Group said the deal is the largest order for unmanned helicopter systems from the UAE MoD. The rotary-wing unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) will be manufactured by...

The Turkish Navy's Ada-class corvette TCG   Kınalıada  (F-514) test-fires an Atmaca anti-ship missile in the Black Sea in early November 2019.  (Roketsan)  Turkey has begun serial production of its indigenously developed Akya heavyweight torpedo (HWT), Atmaca surface-to-surface anti-ship guided missile, and Sapan anti-aircraft air-defence missile.  A contract signing ceremony to start mass producing the three weapon systems, which were developed by Turkish manufacturer Roketsan, was held on 20 January, the Turkis...

The RBAirF's Airbus 295MW fleet will be used in a strategic and tactical transport capability within the region and beyond. (Airbus)  The Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) has received its first two out of four ordered Airbus C295MW transport aircraft.  The aircraft arrived at the RBAirF's Air Movement Centre at Rimba Air Base on 24 January, according to a statement from the Brunei Ministry of Defence (MINDEF). Brunei's contract with Airbus Defence and Space SAU, Spain, for acquisition of the aircraft was signed on 2 December 2022.  Janes...

The GY300 can transport payloads weighing up to 300 kg. (Edge Group)  Edge Group unveiled three new autonomous platforms on the opening day of the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2024 show held in Abu Dhabi from 23 to 25 January.  In a statement issued on 23 January Edge Group said that the latest platforms are purpose-built to operate in demanding environments, covering tactical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), as well as logistics support. The three new platforms include an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV...

Quarterhorse Mk 0, Hermeus's ‘dynamic iron bird'. (Hermeus)  Following ground tests of its Quarterhorse Mk 0 ‘dynamic iron bird', Hermeus is preparing to complete the build of and unveil its first flight-test vehicle, dubbed Mk 1.    Mk 0 testing wrapped up in November 2023. The test campaign, conducted at the US Air Force's (USAF's) Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tullahoma, Tennessee, marked Hermeus's first real-world test deployment beyond its Atlanta, Georgia factory. Although a 4 January statement noted testing of subsyste...

The Pinaka 214 mm (12-round) MBRL is an all-weather, indirect fire, free-flight artillery rocket system. The system is designed for shoot-and-scoot operations and is based on a locally manufactured Tatra 8×8 truck chassis. (BEML Limited)    The Indian Army has approved the development of advanced rockets for its Pinaka Multi‐Barrel Rocket Launchers (MBRLs),    a source at India's state-owned rocket manufacturer Munitions India Limited (MIL) told  Janes  on 24 January.   The army has granted official permission t...

The new MRV is intended to replace the former Irish Naval Service flagship LÉ   Eithne  , which was decommissioned in 2022.  (Michael Nitz/Naval Press Service)  The Irish Department of Defence (DoD) has issued a prior information notice for the procurement of a new multirole vessel (MRV) for the Irish Naval Service (INS) on the European Union's (EU's) Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) portal.    The information notice, published on 23 January, moves the Irish government's plan to procure an MRV into a new phase....

The FWH-3000 cargo UAV can carry a maximum payload of 1,000 kg. (Janes/Amit Kalra)  China-based cargo unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) developer Flightwin Innovation Technology Company exhibited a range of rotary-wing UAVs during the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2024 held in Abu Dhabi from 23 to 25 January.  Speaking to Janes on 23 January Chong Chen, the vice-president of Flightwin, said the FWH-3000 has been developed to address the requirements of cargo and general transportation for both civil and defence domains. The...

An Atmaca missile seen here being launched from the Turkish corvette TCG   Kınalıada  . Indonesia looks set to be the first export customer of the missile.   (Roketsan)    Indonesia has awarded local defence company PT Republik Defensindo the contract to procure an initial batch of Atmaca anti-ship guided missiles from Turkey,   Janes  has been informed by multiple sources close to the matter.   This contract, which covers the procurement of 45 missile rounds and associated launcher units and u...

The Sunflower 200 UAV can be customised as per user requirements. (Janes/Amit Kalra)    China-based Cobtec Ltd has confirmed the acquisition of the Sunflower 200 long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by an undisclosed Dubai-based entity, a company official told   Janes   at the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2024 held in Abu Dhabi from 23 to 25 January.     Speaking to   Janes   on 23 January a Cobtec official said the UAV is in production and can be deployed in two configurations....